Social LCIA method compatibility with different databases

Question

Dear OpenLCA community,

I was wondering if there is any "correct" way to use the Social LCIA method in processes/product systems that are within different databases than the "Social Hotspot" one. For example, can I measure the social impacts of a declared unit of a product created in the EcoInvent database with the Social LCIA method?

Thank you in advance,

Georgios

Answer 1

Hi Giorgios,

the issue is not so much the LCIA method but the "inventory", i.e. the social indicator values in the LCA model. This is not provided in ecoinvent (original), but contained in the soca database that we created as add-on to ecoinvent. Some IO databases like exiobase have some few social indicators and can provide these, but the indicator set is quite limited compared to the SHDB or PSILCA database.

Best wishes,

Andreas